[LargeFormat] Jobo 3000 Series Expert Drums

[Skip Roessel]

I have an Expert 3005 to run my 5x7 in.  I've come up with the following
technique with I offer (with caution).

After the wash, when all that's in there is water, I place the tank upright on
counter or floor, grasp the lid firmly with both hands, holding it down, and
blow gently into the opening.  One holds the lid firmly so it doesn't pop up
too far, which on occasion can bruise your lips some, but if done cautiously,
becomes second nature. Don't need much breath pressure.

I suppose you could make a tool for pulling the lid by bending over the blade
tip of a cheap stainless table knife. Probably need a mechanic's vise to fold
the blade very close to the end.

Note that Jim lubricates the inner rim and not the tank body.  You definitely
don't want traces of vaseline winding up on your fingertips in the course of
the loading session, where it could find its way onto undeveloped negatives.

Skip Roessel
skiproessel@mindspring.com

Jim Brick wrote:

> At 02:26 PM 12/2/2002 +0000, Clive Warren wrote:
>
> >Some people have commented before about difficulty in removing the lids
> >post processing - am hoping that the foot pump is not really necessary.
> >There is a little compressor sitting in the garage if it really is that
> >difficult to remove the lids. Wasn't it Verna who said that she used her
> >fingers under the lid to open the tanks without too much trouble?
> >
> >Cheers,
> >            Clive
>
> The foot pump is not necessary. Put a v-e-r-y thin coat of Vaseline around
> the inner edge of the lid.   V-E-R-Y thin.  Then when ready to remove the
> lid, put a towel (dish, washing up, hand, whatever) over the lid - to
> protect your finger nails. Put the drum on the floor. Put the edge of your
> shoes on the bottom edge (lip) of the drum. Put the end of your fingers
> (finger nails -through the towel) under the edge of the lid and gently work
> it one side then the other until it comes off.
>
> Originally I used the pump. When the lid is tight (always,) the lid blows
> off with explosive force. I actually built a box for my 3063 and 3010 drums
> that contained the explosion. My 3063 has blown so hard that the lid put
> dents in my darkroom ceiling. You are supposed to hold it on with your
> hands (as the instructions say, don't put your body over it) but it comes
> off with such force that it blows right through your hands.
>
> A colleague of mine (a girl) was using my darkroom and could not deal with
> the foot pump explosions. So she figured out how to remove the lids by
> hand. The above method, and I've never used the pump since.
>
> Jim
>
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